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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24806248">Lullaby</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexcat/pseuds/alexcat'>alexcat</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Insomnia, M/M, Sweet, Tony Stark Sings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 01:22:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,908</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24806248</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexcat/pseuds/alexcat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve has nightmares and Tony helps.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Steve Rogers/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Stony Loves Steve 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Lullaby</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/XtaticPearl/gifts">XtaticPearl</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Prompt: Tony sings Steve to sleep.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There were things that Steve Rogers never told anyone at all. </p><p>One of them was that he hardly slept at all. He seemed to function fine without much sleep, but it made for some very long nights. He simply could not get to sleep. His mind worked overtime when he lay down. And if he did sleep, he had nightmares. </p><p>Memories of Bucky, Peggy, his mother played through his mind, then they led to worse memories. He saw the things he’d seen in the war over and over. A person would have to be made of stone not to be affected by those things. </p><p>If that didn’t keep him from sleeping, then worrying about the safety of his teammates did. He’d grown fond of them rather quickly, especially Romanov. She’d been friendly to him from the start and they seemed to be partnered quite often on missions. She was good at her work and quite dependable.</p><p>The there was Stark. He had no idea how to handle Stark or how to keep his mind off of him. </p><p>On this night, when his mind landed on Stark, he got up and gave up on sleep. He pulled on his sweats and went down to the gym. He was glad to have his old-fashioned punching bags here. Nothing seemed to work like knocking the shit out of something real and substantial with his hands, not gloves. </p><p>He flailed away at the bag until he was sweating. He wasn’t sleepy but doing this long enough made him tired. Rest wasn’t sleep but it was better than nothing. </p><p>He was so lost in thought that he didn’t hear anyone come in. </p><p>“Kinda late, isn’t it, Cap?” It was Stark. </p><p>“Couldn’t sleep.”</p><p>“Does whacking that thing make you sleep?” </p><p>“Not really. What are you doing down here?” Steve began unwrapping his hands as he walked across the room to talk toward Stark. </p><p>“I – I don’t sleep much either. I was heading back to the penthouse and, uh, well, I ask JARVIS to check on everyone at night… sort of, uh, well, to see that you’re all safe. He said you were here. I thought I’d come by and see if you needed anything.” </p><p>“I’m fine.” </p><p>“Goodnight then.” Tony touched Steve’s shoulder, sort of an awkward pat. He left the room. </p><p>That was odd, Steve thought, but Stark was a bit odd, wasn’t he?  He finished unwrapping his hands and headed back to his quarters. He didn’t even bother going to bed. He sat down at his desk and began to read over some files that Maria Hill had sent him. </p><p>*</p><p>Tony Stark went back to the penthouse. He let himself in and headed straight for the coffee pot. </p><p>“JARVIS, how often does Rogers go to the gym or do something other than sleep at night?” </p><p>“Almost every night, sir. Captain Rogers seldom sleeps.” </p><p>If he were honest with himself, he’d admit that he had more than a passing interest in Rogers. Hell, he’d worshipped him when he was a little boy. He had photos of himself in a Captain America suit to prove it. The real man proved to be more intriguing than the legend.</p><p>Maybe he could come up with something to make Steve feel better. Oh hell, who was he kidding? He wanted Steve to <i>like</i> him, to be his freaking boyfriend, just like a fifth grader.  Well, not exactly like that. He did want sex with Steve, too. Lots of it. </p><p>He needed to get close enough to Steve to be there at bedtime first. </p><p>*</p><p>Steve ended up rereading Stark’s file. He didn’t know why he did it. He just did. He read about his brilliance and his debauchery, both seemed to be important parts of Tony Stark.</p><p>He wandered down to the communal kitchen about 6 am. Natasha was making something green and vile looking in the blender. </p><p>“Want one?” she asked as she poured it into a cup and looked in several drawers for a straw. </p><p>“I don’t think so. I like my green stuff to be solid.” </p><p>She made a face at him and took a drink of her smoothie, then made a face at the taste. “It’s healthy,” she offered. </p><p>“Are there any Poptarts?”</p><p>“Yeah. Thor hasn’t been back in a while so there should be some there.” She pointed toward the cabinet beside the fridge. “Up high. Thor thought we couldn’t find them if we had to climb on a chair to get them.” </p><p>He grinned. She didn’t always eat green goo then. “Thanks.” </p><p>He found a box of strawberry ones and popped two into the toaster, then made himself a cup of coffee. He put two more Poptarts into the toaster when those popped. </p><p>“Natasha,” he said as he sat to eat the first two Poptarts, “how much do you know about Stark’s personal life?” </p><p>“Genius, playboy, billionaire, yadda, yadda,” she said and waved her arm. </p><p>“That’s it?” </p><p>“He used to be quite the playboy. I think he’s gotten too old. Why?”</p><p>“Just curious,” Steve said, trying to look innocent. </p><p>She took a bite of Steve’s Poptart and took her smoothie with her when she left the kitchen. </p><p>*</p><p>Natasha went to Tony’s workshop after she left Steve. She needed to figure out what was going on. Was Steve pursuing Tony, Tony pursuing Steve or both? </p><p>“Something going on between you and Rogers besides posturing?” Natasha asked as she pushed the doors to the workshop open. </p><p>Tony looked up, trying to seem puzzled, but Natasha knew him better than that.</p><p>“He’s asking about your personal life. You two got something going?” She knew for a fact that Stark was bisexual, but she had no idea about Steve. </p><p>“Um, not that I know of.” He added, “Not for lack of interest on my part.” </p><p>She looked at him hard. “Don’t fuck with him. He’s a good guy.”</p><p>“I know. That’s why I haven’t, as you put it ‘fucked with him’ yet.”</p><p>“See that you remember that.” She glared at him when she said it and left. </p><p>*</p><p>Steve didn’t see Tony for the rest of the day. He worked on more of the endless reports that Fury and Hill seemed so fond of. He ran several miles. He watched a movie in his quarters after dinner. He read for a while then finally decided to try to get some sleep. </p><p>Big mistake. </p><p>They were on the train – he and Bucky. </p><p>He woke screaming. </p><p>Once he realized that he was awake, he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. That was enough sleep for tonight, he decided and picked his sweats up from the chair and began to pull them on. </p><p>Someone knocked on the door. </p><p>He pulled up his sweatpants and went to the door with his t-shirt in his hand. He opened it.  Stark stood there. </p><p>“You didn’t hear me scream so--”</p><p>“JARVIS. I asked him to let me know if you woke screaming.”</p><p>“Come on in. Want something to drink? I’m not going back to bed.”</p><p>“I’ll stay with you,” Tony volunteered.</p><p>Steve looked at him. “Why would you do that?”</p><p>“I don’t sleep well either. I know that sometimes I sleep better when someone stays with me. Hell, maybe that’s why I slept with so many people all those years.” He shrugged. “Maybe not.” </p><p>“I don’t think I want to try it again tonight. Sit with me? Tell me about your life,” Steve said. </p><p>Tony talked about his life: his father, MIT, Stark Industries, Obadiah Stane, Pepper. </p><p>“What isn’t in the legends, Steve?” Tony asked him. “I may be an expert in the Captain America myth, but I don’t know much about the man.”</p><p>“How scared I was sometimes. I saw things – god, Tony. I saw things no one should ever see, I – Christ, it was hellish. No one ever tells you that about war.”</p><p>“You need a therapist, you know.  I have one.”</p><p>“Not sure about that. Talking about things – I – it’s hard. Men didn’t talk about how they felt when I came up.”</p><p>Tony nodded. “Howard didn’t talk about feelings. Never. He was from your generation, too.”</p><p>Steve looked at Tony and smiled a sad smile. “Yet here we are, a lifetime from that.” </p><p>Tony moved closer to Steve on the sofa and put a hand on his shoulder. “Tell me about Barnes. Dad didn’t know him well, but he did remember meeting him.”</p><p>“Bucky saved me more times than I can count. I never could keep my mouth shut and got the crap beat out of me quite often. Bucky was my knight, saving me but letting me get in enough licks to keep my self-respect. I was so glad to find him in Schmidt’s lair, but I thought I’d die when he was lost.”</p><p>“I am so sorry for your loss.” Tony patted his back then hugged Steve. </p><p>Steve hugged back, putting his arms around Tony. After a few moments, he pulled back and looked into Tony’s eyes. He wanted to kiss Tony, but wasn’t sure if he should just do it or maybe ask. </p><p>“I want to kiss you, Steve,” Tony said, beating him to it. </p><p>“I want that, too.” </p><p>Their lips touched. They embraced again. The kiss deepened and Steve slipped his tongue between Tony’s parted lips. He sighed. It felt so good to be close to another human being. So good. </p><p>*</p><p>Tony’s heart was pounding – he hadn’t felt so giddy since he was a kid. He was here in Steve’s apartment, holding him and kissing him! And it was much better than his adolescent fantasies had been. Steve kissed a lot better than he expected. He also smelled like – wholesomeness. Why, Tony didn’t know. </p><p>He didn’t know what to do next.</p><p>*</p><p>“Come to my bed?” Steve asked him. He couldn’t believe it as the words left his mouth. </p><p>Tony nodded and Steve stood, taking his hand and leading him to his rumpled bed. They sat and kissed some more. Steve wondered if he could go through with it. Tony lay back and pulled Steve with him. They undressed as they kissed. </p><p>Steve shivered at the touch of Tony’s kisses on his skin as they explored one another and found what pleased the other. Steve was sure he might explode soon when Tony asked him if he had anything to make things easier. </p><p>He did and soon he moved to spoon Tony from behind. </p><p>Though their need was great, their loving was gentle, and when it was done, Steve held Tony close and Tony put his head on Steve’s shoulder and his arm across his body. </p><p>“Steve, I’m glad I came by. I’ve wanted you since the day we met. You’re so much more than a legend. I – this was all I could ask for.” </p><p>Steve smiled and closed his eyes. Maybe he could rest.</p><p>Tony began to sing. Danny Boy. He remembered his ma singing that one when he was a kid. His voice was nice, a little higher than his speaking voice and quite soothing to Steve.  Tony sang Brahms Lullaby next. Steve’s eyes got heavier as Tony’s sweet voice lifted him out of his stress and made his whole body fell heavy and…</p><p>*</p><p>Tony sang another song just to be sure Steve slept. When he finished the last note, he closed his own eyes and they both slept and slept well for the first time in a very long time.</p>
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